The Civil War

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Makeshift hospitals for the wounded, private homes turned into battle headquarters, and more memorials than one can count - a wide variety of structures and sites were either directly affected by the Civil War, or later built in commemoration of it. And not surprisingly, as the caretaker of America's treasures, including battlefields and military parks, hundreds of the sites that still remain are today located within the National Park System.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

The Baltimore & Ohio (B & O) railroad bridge was once a majestic wood covered bridge that spanned the Potomac River and carried train traffic on the B & O Railroad for 23 years prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. Read more

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

Bolivar Heights witnessed more battle action than any other location at Harpers Ferry. The first battle of the Civil War at Harpers Ferry occurred at Bolivar Heights on October 16, 1861, exactly two years after the commencement of the John Brown Raid. Alarmed by Union forces in the new Confederacy, especially along the Potomac River, a Confederate force under Col. Thomas Ashby struck Union Col. John Geary's men at Bolivar Heights. Read more

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

Camp Hill is a rounded knoll with steep edges that juts upward from the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. It hovers over the oldest section of Harpers Ferry, the Lower Town. Camp Hill's oldest feature is the Harper Cemetery, and its most famous landmark is Jefferson Rock. Read more

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

One of the largest residences in Harpers Ferry, the Lockwood House, hosted numerous venues during the Civil War. Originally constructed as the home of the Armory Paymaster in 1848, the massive stone and brick structure has an elaborate two-story porch, which became an ideal site for a base hospital during the summer of 1862. Read more